The main goal of this presentation is to explore the entanglements between
technologies of the self and ecology. I am particularly interested in the ways in which the modern self — characterized by Elias as the homo clausus and by Watts as the skin-encapsulated ego — can be suspended, eroding the dualism between self and others, humans and nonhumans, and nature and culture. In order to address these issues, I will reflect on the ecosophical project of Thich Nhat Hanh, who actively attempts to intertwine particular technologies of the self — in particular, mindfulness — with nondual ways of conceptualizing and enacting human/nonhuman couplings. Based on the analysis of some of Thich Nhat Hanh’s literature, semi-structured interviews with practitioners of mindfulness, and participant observation at his monastery, Plum Village, this presentation will reflect on the micro and macro politics of these practices.
